Blood from individuals with autism could help researchers identify biomarkers to diagnose the disorder and learn more about related symptoms, such as gastrointestinal complaints, says molecular biologist Valerie Hu.

A well-studied mouse model of autism has a smaller-than-normal volume in several autism-associated brain regions.

An autism-linked protein helps wire neurons together, according to two studies published in late September.

The brains of individuals with autism express lower levels of proteins that direct neuronal growth compared with those of controls.

The brains of boys with autism have a lower-than-normal rate of water diffusion across the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus — a bundle of neurons that connects all four major lobes of the brain, according to a new study.

A new technique allows researchers to make stable modifications to neurons by incorporating modified amino acids into the proteins of stem cells. The method permits researchers to investigate neuronal function in live, intact cells.

The first study to sequence more than 100 genes on the X chromosome in people with autism or schizophrenia has turned up some promising leads.

Many toddlers with autism have weak connections between the two sides of the brain, according to the first-ever analysis of brain connections in young children with the disorder, published 23 June in Neuron.

FOXP2, a gene tied to autism and language disorders, is needed for proper wiring of the developing brain, according to a study published 7 July in PLoS Genetics.

Soluble proteins band together into temporary complexes to travel to the tips of neurons, according to a study published 12 May in Neuron. The study provides the first evidence-based model for slow, directed neuronal transport, answering a long-standing question in the field.